Towel rack



July 1, 1930. s, w s 1,769,326

TOWEL RACK Filed Sept. 4, 192

jl'mon 7% Z15.

1N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY.

Patented July 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE- SIMON WEIS, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA TOWEL RACK Application filed September 4, 1928. Serial No. 303,899.

My invention is an improvement in towel racks, and relates more especially to that particular type comprising a horizontal rod extending between brackets and over which the towel is hung for supporting the same as for instance in a bath or wash room.

In towel racks of this general type, the rod is usually round or polygonal in cross section and made of metal, glass, etc., the smooth surface permitting the towel which is hung over the rod to slide oil and drop to the floor unless care is taken in placing it on the rod so that it will be properly balanced, and as the towel racks or rods are usually placed in close proximity to the wall, it is usual to overlap only a small end portion of the towel so that the weight of the longer end portion thereof will pull the towel from the rod; on to the floor putting the bather to the trouble and incon- 2 venience of stooping to pick it up.

The primary object of my invention is to provide the rod with inexpensive means which engage the towel and prevent it from slipping off, the engaging means being of such character as to grip the underface of the towel by contact therewith, preferably by providing the rod either with points or well defined edges from which the towel will not easily slide, and with this rimaryobject in View my invention consists roadly in providing a towel rack or towel supporting rod with a surface that will grip the undersurface of the towel for holding it on the rod against slip in off the said rippin surface being in sgme instiances forriied inte grally with the rod and in other instances as an attachment thereto fixed or removable, a removable attachment being preferable in that it will provide for removing the attachment for replacement, cleaning, etc.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a towel rack or rod showing the application of my in vention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the rod,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View illustrating a modification, and

Fig. 4 is a plan view.

I have illustrated my improved towel supporting rod and detachable towel engaging strip as supported at its ends in bracket arms 7 7 of the conventional design employed for towel racks installed in bath rooms, but it will be understood that rods and strips in connection with the supporting means for the rods in accordance with my invention may be used for other purposes, as for instance in supporting clothing in closets, etc.

In carrying out my invention the rod 8 of the towel rack is provided alon its upper portion with a gripping surface which may be in the form of bristles 9, as shown in Figure 1, in which the bristles are carried by a removable strip 10, as illustrated in Figure 2, whereby said strip with the bristles may be removed for the purpose of cleaning or sterilizing the same when desired or for putting in a new strip to replace a worn one. When this form of towel holdin device is made the strip will be more firmly field against lateral displacement throughout its length by providing a rod with a dove-tailed channel 8 and a strip correspondingly shaped in cross section so that it may be slid into engagement with the rod longitudinally thereof, and as said strip is of the same length as the rod.

it will be also firmly and securely held against longitudinal displacement by engagement with the sockets of the supoprting brackets 7. In this adaptation of my invention the rod is preferably hexagonal in cross section but of course may be of any other configuration. By providing bristles as the means for engaging the towel the numerous sharp points thereof will slightly enter the fabric of the towel and firmly hold it from slipping off the rod, the yielding engagement of the bristles bein such as not to injure the fabric of the towe either in supporting the same on the rod or when the towel is pulled off for use.

In Figures 3 and 4 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the detachable strip 11 is provided with nibs or pro'ections 12, not necessarily sharp and there ore may be of rubber, which will engage or grip the undersurface of the towel sufiiciently to hold it from slipping off whenv one end portion thereof is longer than the other end portion.

As the main purpose of my invention is to provide the rod of a towel rack with a gripping surface at its upper edge over which the towel is hung and from which the opposite end portions are suspended to prevent a longer end portion from dragging the towel from therod it will be understood that any rough surface having the property of lightly gripping the towel may be used in connection with the removable strip, and of course this strip and longitudinal channel in the rod may be modified as to cross-sectional shape.

It will thus be obvious that modifications may be resorted to in the practice of my in- I vention and I therefore wish to reserve the right to make such modifications or changes as will come within. the scope of the appended claims.

It will be understood that wherever in the 20 specifications the word bristles is used the term is not restricted to hair bristles but includes any material commonly used as bristles for hair brushes and other articles, as wire, spun glass, etc.

I claim:

1. A towel rack comprising spaced supports with opposing sockets, a rod having a longitudinal dove-tailed channel therein and ,s supported at its ends in the aforesaid sockets, 30 said channel ext-ending out at one end of the rod, a removable strip corresponding in shape to the channel and slidable therein from one end of the rod, and means projecting from the strip to engage the towel and hold it from slipping off the rod.

2. A tower rack comprising spaced supports with opposing sockets, a rod having a longitudinal dove-tailed channel extending longitudinally therein from one end to the other and supported at its ends in said sockets,

a strip corresponding in cross sectional shape to the channel and slidable therein from one end of the rod, said strip being of the same length as the rod, and means projecting from the strip for engaging the towel and holding it from slipping ofi the rod.

. SIMON WEIS. 

